Henry IV, Part II: Act V Discussion

April 8, 2021 Ariana Karp

And thus, we conclude our journey of Henry IV, Part II with our discussion of Act V!

We celebrate the return to the country justices and one last drinking scene, we talk Falstaff’s long con and how he loses his heart to Hal in the process, we discuss the demands of of public leadership, status negotiations within the royal family, the incarceration of the working class, the pain of saying goodbye to childhood and carelessness, and conclude talking about catharsis and collective action in the epilogue.

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part II includes Samantha Blinn, Rhoda Bodzin, Amber Devlin, Eric Devlin, Ellyn Heald, Marty Madden, Mike Marcou, Liam Mitchell, Danielle Reddick, Noah Segard, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

Henry IV, Part II: Act IV Discussion

April 5, 2021 Ariana Karp

We tackle the massive Act IV of Henry IV, Part II.

Among many thing we talk about the opacity of specific grievances from the rebellion, the super degraded and violent imagery that the Archbishop employs, how important beverages are and the virtues of drinking, how the King seems to be constantly pulled between his two opposing interpretations of Hal, care having a very negative and corrosive connotation in the play, and the conflict and conflation of family and power.

*Also as a side note: Humfrey is indeed the Duke Humfrey of the famous Oxford library!

Henry IV, Part I: Act III Discussion

April 1, 2021 Ariana Karp

On to Act III of Henry IV, Part II…

We talk about how Shakespeare teaches us that Kings are incapable of sleeping, how both sides in the civil war characterize the opposing side as a disease upon the realm, the introduction of Justice Shallow mixing dialogue about the cost of livestock, reliving youth, profound enumerations of friends gone, and Falstaff taking a back seat in the scenes to introduce new comedic characters in acts two and three.

Henry IV, Part II: Act II Discussion

March 29, 2021 Ariana Karp

Moving on to Act II of Henry IV, Part II!

Among many things, we talk the Hostess and Falstaff’s money and romantic entanglements, the discordant realities between Falstaff and the Lord Chief Justice, the furthering of Hal and Poin’s friendship, the introduction of the glorious Doll Tearsheet and the ferocious and fantastical Pistol, and the poignancy of Hal trying and failing to ‘go back to what it was.’

Henry IV, Part II: Act I Discussion

March 25, 2021 Ariana Karp

Time to start a new play! Join us as we commence our journey through Henry IV, Part II with our Act I discussion with a brand new ensemble!

We discuss the striking appearance of the character of Rumor at the start of the play, the insecurity of information and fake news, Northumberland’s emotional disassociation, the clash of Falstaff and the Lord Chief Justice, and the rebellion’s acrobatic metaphors.

Our Ensemble for Henry IV, Part II includes Samantha Blinn, Rhoda Bodzin, Amber Devlin, Eric Devlin, Ellyn Heald, Marty Madden, Mike Marcou, Liam Mitchell, Danielle Reddick, Noah Segard, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

Henry IV, Part I: Act V Discussion

March 22, 2021 Ariana Karp

We conclude our exploration of Henry IV, Part I with our Act V Discussion!

Join us as we talk diplomacy and tactics, family and political pragmatism, Hal’s plan and how it’s working, Hotspur’s end and the failure of words, and the puzzle of Falstaff’s innocence and cynicism.

Also for more detailed information about Prince Hal’s actual injury check out the link below - warning, it’s pretty grotesque. https://www.medievalists.net/2013/05/prince-hals-head-wound-cause-and-effect/

Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part I includes Brittany Chandler, Andrew Codispoti, Deborah Davis, Sam Gilroy, Lynn Goodwin, Mitchel Kawash, Nicholas Koy Santillo, Genevieve Simon, Kelly Strandemo, Alexandra Tatarsky, facilitated and directed by Ariana Karp.

Henry IV, Part I: Act IV Discussion

March 18, 2021 Ariana Karp

It’s rebel time…we take on Act IV of Henry IV, Part I.

Among many things, we chart the rebellion’s political spins, the royal family coming together as the Percy Family falls apart, military tactics, and class segregation in the army.

Henry IV, Part I: Act III Discussion

March 15, 2021 Ariana Karp

On to Act III of Henry IV, Part I !

In this pivotal act, we examine Glendower’s significance as a Welsh folk hero, the status games within the rebellion leadership, the power and very different energies of the three female characters of the play, pin pointing moments of character change in the text, the emotional resonance of repeated sounds, and many other things!!

Henry IV, Part I: Act II, Scene 4 Discussion

March 11, 2021 Ariana Karp

We take the whole episode to look at the longest scene in the play, the epic tavern scene, Act II, Scene IV of Henry IV, Part I.

Breaking it down into four mini scenes, we discuss Falstaff’s skill at wriggling out of tight spots, the complicated psychology of Hal and Falstaff “playing the king,” and “banishing the world,” and tracking the private moments in this public tavern space.

Henry IV, Part I: Act II, Scenes 1-3 Discussion

March 8, 2021 Ariana Karp

Moving on, we delve into the first half of Act II of Henry IV, Part I.

Join us as we examine the details and textures of the world of the play, transitioning from the throne room to a truck stop, everyday dangers, and a deep dive into the complexities of the relationships between Falstaff and Prince Hal and between Hotspur and Lady Percy.

Henry IV, Part I: Act I Discussion

March 4, 2021 Ariana Karp

And so begins a brand new play! We continue the history tetralogy with Act I of Henry IV, Part I.

We delve into the violent imagery of the body the opens the play, the through line of thievery from the tavern to the throne room, highly complex father-son dynamics and twisted clock metaphors.

Hamlet: Act V Discussion

March 1, 2021 Ariana Karp

Director Emma Rosa Went takes us to finish line with our Act V discussion of Hamlet!

Among many things, we discuss how the play moves from a philosophical interrogation of death to a visceral confrontation in the gravediggers scene, how class distinctions and politics crop up in Act V, the significance of the skull Hamlet encounters being a court jester, and … funyuns.

Our company for Hamlet includes: Olivia Rose Barresi, William Cary, Harrison Densmore, Zoë Goslin, Patrick Harvey, Colin Holmes, Ariana Karp, Finn Kilgore, Julia Larsen, Andrea Lopez Alvarez, Joe McGurl, Erin Noll, Tim Palmer, Isabel Smith-Bernstein, and Else C. Went.

Hamlet: Act IV Discussion

February 25, 2021 Ariana Karp

Director Emma Rosa Went leads us through Act IV of Hamlet!

Join us as we discuss the palpable tension between Claudius and Hamlet, the strange absence of nature imagery and plethora of imagery about the human body in the play thus far, the high impact of Ophelia as a character and that focusing on what she is trying to communicate illuminates the play, and of course, deus ex pirates.

Hamlet: Act III Discussion

February 22, 2021 Ariana Karp

Pushing forward with director Emma Rosa Went thru the behemoth that is Act III of Hamlet!

We examine truth and performance, the changing and deepening of character relationships, and the emotional violence committed against the two very isolated women in the play.

Hamlet: Act II Discussion

February 18, 2021 Ariana Karp

Director Emma Rosa Went forges on, leading our company of theatre makers through Act II of Hamlet.

Among many things, we discuss how suddenly things are weird in the castle, the nature of spying and truth, Hamlet’s need to see his story reflected back to him through the medium of theatre, and the significance of the Priam-Pyrrhus-Hecuba speech!

Hamlet: Act I Discussion

February 15, 2021 Ariana Karp

Tabling & ISC Santa Fe are delighted and honored to have director-extraordinaire Emma Rosa Went lead a company of theatre makers through the mammoth undertaking of working through Hamlet!

Join us for a lively discussion of Act I where we discuss the jumpiness of the start of the play, ghosts being afraid of Latin, the subjectivity and distortion of time, and the differences between the two main families among many other things. Brilliant dramaturg Isabel Smith-Bernstein also takes us on an exploration of themes of Hamlet framed by the flowers of Ophelia.

Also we have a new release schedule! Starting tomorrow February 16th, you can hear the corresponding radio play tracks with original music over on our Radio Shakespeare Lab Podcast the day after the act discussion on Tabling! Tabling episodes released Mondays and Thursdays, Radio Shakespeare Lab released Tuesdays and Fridays!

Richard II: Act V Discussion

February 8, 2021 Ariana Karp

And so ends our most lyrical history of Richard II. Among many things, our group talked about the emotional importance of the relationship between Queen Isabel and Richard, fierce Shakespearean mothers, the family impact of civil strife, and Richard devastating and beautiful prison speech in Act V.

Our cast of Nazlah Black, Zoe Burke, Mairi Chanel, Caryl Farkas, Zoë Goslin, Mike Marcou, Amy Meilander, & William Potter, facilitated by Ariana Karp, concludes their exploration of Richard II. You can catch the full radio play of Richard II with this group on Thursday, February 11, 2021 on the Radio Shakespeare Lab podcast.

Richard II: Act IV Discussion

February 4, 2021 Ariana Karp

And now we arrive at the firestorm that is Act IV of Richard II! Among many things, our cast discussed the political potency of the abdication/deposition scene, the comedy gold of ‘the gloves’, ascending and descending imagery, and Richard playing on the edge of a knife with his powerful language and status-taking actions.

Our cast of Nazlah Black, Zoe Burke, Mairi Chanel, Caryl Farkas, Zoë Goslin, Mike Marcou, Amy Meilander, & William Potter, facilitated by Ariana Karp, continues their exploration of Richard II.

Richard II: Act III Discussion

February 1, 2021 Ariana Karp

We move on to the pivotal Act III, steeping ourselves in class tensions, water and fire imagery, and marveling at how Richard gains linguistic power as he loses his political power.

Our cast of Stephen Wagener Bennett, Nazlah Black, Zoe Burke, Mairi Chanel, Caryl Farkas, Zoë Goslin, Mike Marcou, Amy Meilander, & William Potter, facilitated by Ariana Karp, continues their exploration of Richard II.

Here is a link with information on the Elizabethan philosophy of the four humors that we briefly discussed - check it out for more information! https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/shakespeare/fourhumors.html

Richard II: Act II Discussion

January 28, 2021 Ariana Karp

Join us as we continue our exploration of Richard with our Act II discussion. We note the foreshadowing of Richard’s end as both the symbol of the setting sun and the association with the music of the spheres. We look at John of Gaunt’s descriptive metaphors of England and how he makes the land ‘holy.’ We also talk about the mirroring of the different factions of noblemen and the Duke of York’s frustration and indecision.

Listen to our cast: Stephen Wagener Bennett, Nazlah Black, Zoe Burke, Mairi Chanel, Caryl Farkas, Zoë Goslin, Mike Marcou, Amy Meilander, & William Potter, facilitated by Ariana Karp, discuss Act II.

Also here is a link to Hans Holbein the Younger’s painting “The Ambassadors.” https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/hans-holbein-the-younger-the-ambassadors